Overhead doors, also referred to as roll-up doors, are commonly used on trucks, trailers and similar commercial-type vehicles, as well as on garages and warehouses. The overhead doors are generally made up of multiple panels; however, some simply use a single panel. The movement of an overhead door between and open and closed position is generally controlled by the use of rollers and rails or tracks. A typical overhead door will utilize a series of side mounted rollers with the stem end of the roller being mounted on the inside face of the door and the roller being situated within the rail or track.
To move the door from the closed to the open position, a force is applied to the door to encourage the rollers to traverse the railing. The railings are generally shaped like an upside down “L” with a curved corner so that when the door is in the open position, the top portion of the rail holds the weight of the door. Often times, a spring mechanism is also used to help provide lift to the door when moving from the closed to the open position and to provide speed control when moving the door from the open to the closed position.
During the opening and closing of the overhead door, the door must be able to move freely to prevent an overhead door from binding with the door jam. This characteristic demands that the fit between the overhead door and the door frame or jam to be adjusted with a degree of looseness. Thus there is some play or leeway between the closed door and the door jam. This play results in causing a loose seal between the overhead door and the door jam. This is true even when the door jam or frame includes a weather strip that is mounted to the door jam.
Although necessary in current overhead door designs, the looseness of the seal between the door and the door jam is undesirable for several reasons. One such reason is that the loose seal is energy inefficient. Conditioned air can escape through the loose seal. In addition, the loose seal can allow undesirable objects or elements, such as rain, snow, sleet, leaves, insects, animals, dust and pollutants to enter into the closed area. These conditions are even more prevalent when wind, applying pressure to the door, pushes the door inward. Such inward pressure increases the gap between the door and the door jam. Another reason the loose seal is undesirable is that it can impose a security risk. A loosely sealed door may invite a perpetrator to attempt to breach the overhead door, as well as aid in the perpetrator's ability to breach the overhead door.
Thus, there is a need in the art for method to provide a more secure seal between an overhead door and a door jam when the overhead door is in a closed position. Several techniques have been introduced, such as the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,618, to address this need; however, the present invention discloses advantages over these techniques that a reunique and novel. More particularly, the present state of the art does not include a technique to address the above-described problems while also having the characteristics of being easy to install without the use of any tools, simplistic in design so as to reduce cost and complexity in manufacturing, and durable.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus that effectively seals, or limits the looseness of the seal between a closed overhead door and the door jam, that is durable, and that can be quickly and easily installed. Further, there is a need in the art for such a device to be easily removed for repair or replacement. Finally, there is a need in the art for such a device that readily permits relative vertical movement between the facing of the overhead door and the door jam without substantial impediment, when and if desired.